


Outsider

by awinterschild



Category: The Little White Horse - Elizabeth Goudge, The Secret of Moonacre (2008)
Genre: By thin point I think you know what you'll get when I write anything for these two, F/M, Implied references to mature themes, Maria x Robin - Freeform, OC, Robin x Maria - Freeform, Since it's pretty fun to write, Told from an OC's point of view, but a bit of a different spin this time, hopefully no-ones bored of that, just the usual background sexual tension, minor language, nothing dramatic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:55:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25830019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awinterschild/pseuds/awinterschild
Summary: There are two things that everyone in Moonacre Valleys knows: Firstly, Maria and Robin are as different as night and day. Secondly, they belong together. It’s obvious, even to a newcomer like Jamieson, and even if they don't know it themselves yet.
Relationships: Maria Merryweather/Robin de Noir
Comments: 9
Kudos: 80





	Outsider

**Author's Note:**

> Another one shot which I had a lot of fun writing. Inspired by the idea of wanting to explore Robin and Maria's relationship from the perspective of someone else, and someone from outside the story. So it's a wee bit different, but still a Robin and Maria story at heart!

It’s the last night Harry Jamieson will be able to spend at an inn. He’s spent the last week sleeping under the stars, which is fine, that’s what he’s used to after all. One of the perks of getting discharged from the army was supposed to be sleeping in a proper bed between four solid wall and a roof though, and he reasons he could do with getting properly cleaned up to try to make himself look presentable for asking around about work. Not that he’s been successful so far in his travels over the past couple of months; walking with an unmistakeable limp and being covered in scars isn’t really doing much in his favour. But his money’s running out, and he _needs_ find work.

He enters the pretty village of Silverydew without much expectation, not in light of the luck he’s had so far. He’s just leaving the inn (The Waxing Moon, a name he’s never come across anywhere else) when he stops dead in his tracks.

“Miss Maria?” he asks in astonishment. The young lady in question, who is securing saddlebags to an impressive looking dapple grey horse, turns to look around at the call of her name. Jamieson flushes; he’s a ragged looking ex-soldier who has no business calling out in such a manner to young ladies of rank. “Sorry miss, you probably don’t remember me-”

“Private Jamieson. Harry Jamison. Of course I do,” The warmth of her recognition makes him flush even deeper. She laughs delightedly, “I don't believe it!”

He has to agree and speaks in bewilderment, “You’re all grown up. That is- last time I saw you, you were– I mean it was always said you’d turn into a fine young lady-” She laughs again at his discomposure, and he finally manages to master himself. “What I mean to say is it’s been such a long time since I saw you last. And I was very sorry to hear about your father. He was a good soldier, one of the best officers I ever had the good fortune to serve under,”

The laughter fades from her face at the mention of her father. “Yes, he was. I’m afraid in the end though…he couldn’t let go of his pride,”

Jamieson feels awful at the sorrowful expression on her face so he hurriedly carries on to try and move on from the subject, “I wondered what had happened to you, I never heard you mentioned in London when I got back...”

She smiles reminiscently at the mention of London, as if reminded of a long forgotten and faraway place. “I was removed to here, with Miss Heliotrope, into the care of my uncle, my father’s brother,” She explains, “He lives at Moonacre Manor, and this is where I’ve been since,”

“Miss Maria Merryweather living in the _country_ ,” He shakes his head in disbelief.

She laughs again, “Yes, I can’t stand to be anywhere else now. I’m afraid you’ll find me quite changed from when you saw me last. And Miss Heliotrope,”

He looks around at the mention of her governess, a rather...singular woman, he recalls. “Is she here, accompanying you?”

“Oh no, Maria shakes her head, “She’s married now and keeps mostly to Moonacre Manor,”

Jamieson frowns. “But surely you’re not on your own...?”

“No, Wrolf’s about somewhere to look after me,” She waves her hand dismissively, clearly more interested in other topics, “But how have you ended up here too?”

“I'm looking for work. I got discharged from the army when I was injured about a year ago,” Maria’s expression twists into one of sympathy, and Jamieson’s voice abruptly hardens, “Please don’t pity me. I’m one of the lucky ones.” He catches himself, realising he shouldn't be speaking in such a tone to her, “That is- I only mean I’m still capable of honest work. A lot of other aren’t,”

“I don’t doubt it,” She says, her eyes un-judgemental since she’s all too familiar with the pride of soldiers, “In fact it’s lucky for us you’ve turned up here, now. You must go and see my uncle- I think I remember my father saying you ended up taken on to assist an army veterinarian, yes? Well he’s in need of a new stable master if that would be to your liking…”

Completely disconcerted by this turn of events, Jamieson stammers out that it would be.

“Good, that’s settled then," Maria says, a determined gleam in her eyes, "Come back with me now and speak to my uncle about it,”

“Oh no, I couldn’t-”

“Of course, yes, I suppose you’ll need to fetch your things first. Well I need to be getting back, but you must come to Moonacre Manor directly,” She gives him directions, “I’ll tell my uncle to expect you within no more than two hours or to come and find you himself.”

She speaks in such a ringing voice of authority that all Jamieson can do is nod dumbly despite the forwardness of what he’s agreeing to. It feels as if he’s a private again and she’s his commanding officer. But with a dazzling smile, she bids him good morning and by the time he’s regained his good sense, she’s gone.

Luckily, Jamieson doesn’t have many possessions. He’s not in the habit of leaving them unattended, having stayed in many a questionable establishment in his time, but this is the only reason he collects them, as turning up to the Manor house with them in such a manner would be highly presumptuous. In fact the whole arrangement is _presumptuous_ , expecting a man of Sir Benjamin’s rank to wait on him. But Jamieson goes anyway, because if Maria Merryweather is anything like she was as a girl, he doesn’t dare disobey her as a grown women. However, he resolves to make enquiries with the chief of staff rather than Sir Benjamin Merryweather himself, as was the done way of things…

Jamieson has no such luck however. Maria herself sees him coming up the drive an hour later, and before he can sneak round to the servants’ entrance, she accosts him, takes his arm and leads him through the doors of the very grand looking manor house. Before Jamieson knows it, he’s stood in a handsome looking study before Sir Benjamin Merryweather himself.

“Here is the man I told you about Uncle,” Maria announces, “He served under my father. He will be perfect as our new stable master-”

“Of course he will, what a wonderful idea Maria!” A woman Jamison hadn’t previously noticed interrupts delightedly, clapping her hands together. She has the same look of Maria, they’re both dressed in the same style of dresses with a great air of command about them, “He’ll do very well. If you go and find Digweed to show him around, I shall speak to Mrs Burgess to see that she makes sure quarters are made ready-”

Both women depart, discussing the matter in a satisfied, closed sort of way. Jamieson is left still standing there, slightly shell-shocked by the interview. Except it can’t have been _an interview_ because he’s sure neither himself nor Sir Benjamin have said a single word since he was delivered to the room a mere two minutes ago…

“With your permission of course Sir,” He hastily says into the sudden silence.

Sir Benjamin regards him with a sympathetic sort of expression. “Oh I have no bearing on the matter. And neither do you, I’m sorry to tell you. But I’m sure you’ll get used to it. Nothing more to be done,”

*

There’s something about Moonacre that Jamieson can’t quite describe. For one thing, it's surprisingly well maintained given the small amount of servants who work there. For another, the food Marmaduke, the cook makes is absolutely to die for (especially after a life on rations), but he’s never actually _seen_ him. But Jamieson swears he _has_ seen a giant black lion roaming the grounds several times at night in the moonlight...

Apart from the niggling strangeness of the place, Jamieson can’t quite believe his luck though. He’s always had an affinity with animals, which was why Maria’s father recommended he be apprenticed to the army veterinarian, so he’s very happy working with horses again. Sir Benjamin is a rather austere man, but a fair master. He clearly loves his wife, who has a mellowing effect on him when she’s around, and Lady Merryweather herself- well a more compassionate woman Jamieson has yet to meet. She apparently fills the house with injured and mistreated animals and the garden with every plant and flower imaginable. In fact he’s seen things in there which he’s sure only grow in very different climates, such as the places he’s witnessed during his life soldiering. But maybe he's mistaken.

As for Maria Merryweather, the only way Jamieson can describe her is that she’s absolutely _dazzling_. The fact that he’s lower in status, like when she was a child, never seems to occur to her. She’s the member of the family that he sees the most as she’s frequently in and out of the stables, talking, laughing and reminiscing with him, resuming their friendship as if no time has passed at all. She’s grown up into a beautiful woman, and while she’s not so determinedly ladylike anymore, she’s still the same Maria he remembers as a six year old girl; headstrong, wilful, determined, but also compassionate, fair and devoted. He thinks he must be at least a little in love with her, but then it seems everyone is; there’s not a soul in the valley who has an ill word to say about her (and if there were, he’d have strong words with them), and everyone seems to somehow hold her personally responsible for the prosperity of the valley. 

That is something else Jamieson can’t quite figure out. He frequently hears people speak of Moonacre Valley having not so long ago being a dark and desolate place. Something about a ‘curse’ and ‘moon pearls’, and Miss Maria jumping off a cliff into the sea with them…which is absolutely absurd, and he must have heard wrong. He thinks it’s probably more likely to be to do with the De Noirs, who apparently the Merryweathers had feuded with for some amount of centuries until only a few years ago. Yes, _that_ must have been the cause of the troubles of the valley, because now, the prosperity of the valley seems to be in a large part owing to the business and friendship between the two families.

But the De Noirs themselves are another enigma. As far as Jamieson can make out, having not met any of them yet, they were self-governing, functioning more as a clan that was entirely independent and self-sufficient with a vast forest in their ownership and control of sea ports that Jamieson's never heard of. Lady Merryweather herself, he has been told, was a De Noir before her marriage, which might account for some of her more peculiar habits. Her younger brother, the De Noir chief’s son, also seems rumoured to have been involved with breaking the Moonacre curse, but that’s been as much as he's been able to make out about them.

It was all very strange to Jamieson, but somehow, from inside the valley, also not strange at all.

*

Jamieson first meets the De Noirs the day he’s collapsed against a fence, after running as far as he can on his damned bad leg. It feels as if it's on fire, like the shell that had injured it had only just gone off and ripped it open all over again. Through the haze of pain, he registers two dark, leather clad figures helping him to sit down on a rock.

"Old injury-" He grinds out, "Miss Maria - charged off-"

"Maria?" The one with feather at his neck says sharply.

Jamieson nods, speaking as best he can in short sentences through gritted teeth, "Took her out for a ride. Passed someone. Told us some blaggard was whipping his horse to an inch of its life. She took off,"

"Which way?" The young man demands. Jamieson points and he charges off in the same direction without a second’s hesitation. Jamieson tries to get up and follow, but the remaining young man puts a hand on his shoulder.

"I think you need to take it easy for a moment," He advises. Jamieson shakes his head.

"I need to-"

"Robin will keep Maria from harm, don't worry. If someone’s so much as touched her he’ll probably kill them,"

Jamieson's head snaps round at the sound of the name. "You're De Noirs?" He asks.

The man nods. "My name's Will.” He passes Jamieson a hip flask from his pocket. The spirit burns down Jamieson’s throat, burns though the pain and helps to clear his head.

"Jamieson. Harry Jamieson," He hands the flask back gratefully, "I've not long been taken on at Moonacre,"

"Well, I’m sure you'll soon be realizing, if you haven't already, that Maria Merryweather is a bit of a handful," Jamieson can’t help but snort at this, because it’s an understatement if he’s ever heard one,

"To put it mildly,” He snorts, “She hasn't changed a bit,"

Will looks surprised. "You already knew her?"

"Aye. When she was a girl. I was a soldier under her father's command. She used to order us all about as if we were all under _her_ command though. Tell me this, make me that, take me here...I’m going to do this and nothing in the world will stop me... I'd never met such an authoritative six year old,"

Will laughs. "That certainly sounds like our Moon Princess. There's nothing she loves more than bossing all of us about too,”

 _Moon Princess_ , Jamieson thinks. It's not the first time he’s heard Maria referred to as this. Why, he’s not sure. If it was a nickname, wasn’t it was strange for so many people to refer to her as such?

But his trail of thought is broken by Will. "You got injured soldiering then?"

Jamieson nods. "Shrapnel. They couldn't get it all out. Bloody pain in the arse, it got me discharged from the army and I didn't have a clue what to do with myself after that. Eventually ended up here looking for work. Couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Miss Maria Merryweather standing in front of me and the next thing I know I’m working in her stables. I'm still not sure how it happened,"

"Well that sums her up," Will remarks dryly. “We’re still not sure how _we_ ended up where we all are now. I suppose all that can be said is that she’s a force of nature, particularly when she puts her mind to something. And there’s no point getting in her way when she does…”

Jamieson slowly climbs to his feet with a grin. “We used to wonder what poor soul she'd end up married off to, since he wasn’t likely to have an easy life,” he recalls with a wry smile, “And then pray it wouldn't be an officer we ended up serving under..."

"I can imagine," Will snickers, then nods up behind Jamieson up the road, "Luckily I happen to know the poor soul who can manage her just fine…"

Following his gaze, Jamieson is astonished by the sight he's confronted with, for Robin De Noir was striding along back up the road. With one hand, he was leading Maria’s mount but his other arm was holding Maria herself, who was half slung over his shoulder. She had herself propped upright though, with her arms braced against his shoulder and although Jamieson can’t see her face, he’s willing to bet that her expression is _furious_. He could hear her too, but Robin was completely ignoring her tirade of commands to be put down and the subsequent stream of insults and recriminations for not doing so.

“Miss Maria?” Jamieson asks, alarmed, when Robin reaches himself and Will.

“I’m fine!” She calls, sounding somewhat muffled because she’s facing in the opposite direction, “Just this absolute _oaf_ won’t-”

"The horse had been surrendered into the care of the Merryweathers," Robin informs them. “It’s in pretty bad shape but seems happy to follow this one,” He hands the reins of Maria’s horse over to Jamieson. There was indeed another horse some distance behind them, watching them wearily and unwilling to come any closer. Jamieson can see the poor beast is covered in foam which is stained red in places. He scowls.

“And the former owner?” He asks, turning his eyes back to Robin.

“Regretting the day he ever crossed paths with the Moon Princess I should think,” Will snorts, eyeing Robin’s bloody knuckles.

“I’m taking her home,” Robin says shortly and without elaboration, starting off down the road past them.

“For Heaven’s sake, just put me down and I’ll ride back-” Jamieson hears Maria start to demand.

“And why should I trust you when you do stupid things like provoke angry drunkards who won’t think twice about attacking you?”

“ _I_ provoked him? You’re the one who hit him! Repeatedly! If you weren’t such a brute whose answer to everything is using his fists, maybe I could have come to an amicable arrangement-!”

“ _Amicable arrangement_? With a man viciously beating his horse? If I hadn’t have knocked him out you’d probably have cursed him!”

“Don’t be _ridiculous_ , I can’t curse anyone, that sort of power died with the pearls-”

Jamieson stands rooted to the spot listening to this extraordinary conversation until the pair are out of earshot. More to the point, he’s not sure if he should be outraged by Robin De Noir’s treatment of Maria, or congratulating him for it.

"I wouldn’t worry about her,” Will tells him with a grin, guessing his thoughts and clapping Jamieson on the back, “She'll be quite happy where she is. There’s nothing she enjoys more than aggravating Robin, usually by putting herself inadvertently in some sort of danger. That’s the foundation their relationship is based on after all. You get used to it…”

*

The next time Jamieson sees Robin De Noir, it’s the lad who's in need of saving, and from Maria herself.

He's once again out with Maria, tracking a spirited young colt that’s escaped from the paddocks. Faint shouts abruptly issue from the forest, the edge of which isn’t too far ahead of them and then there’s a gunshot.

Maria pales and runs towards the trees.

 _Not again,_ Jamieson curses, and he hurriedly limps after her as fast as he can without aggravating his leg to the point of collapse again. But he doesn’t have to go far into the treeline before he can hear voices.

“ _Robin_!”

“I’m fine princess-”

“No you’re not, you're hurt, let me see-”

“Princess it's nothi- what the hell are you- _no_ , Maria, _get off_ -”

“Not until you let me _see_ -!”

It’s at this point that Jamieson limps onto the scene. Will is standing with a slightly smoking pistol, and there’s a huge dead stag on the forest floor. At least Jamieson thinks it is, but it doesn’t look any stag he’s ever seen before, more like some sort of massive hybrid of one. Whatever it is (and its funny how these strange things are so naturally accepted and shrugged off without second thought in Moonacre), the creature isn’t far from where Robin is sat, leaning against a tree, his hand clutching his shoulder which has apparently been caught by the sort-of-stag's viciously sharp antlers. And Maria is-

Maria is on top of him.

“How exactly is sitting on him helping?” Will sounds mildly concerned but mostly just amused.

Maria huffs. “It means I can see his shoulder and keep him still, or else he’ll charge off!”

“Because I’m _fine_ -”

“Then why are you wincing so much?” She interrupts. And while there _is_ a pained look on Robin’s face, Jamieson thinks it probably has more to do with her sitting, _fidgeting_ , in his lap.

“I could take a look,” He pipes up, feeling nothing but sympathy for Robin De Noir because Maria Merryweather has no idea of the effect she has on people at the best of times. So she probably isn’t aware, in the midst of her concern, that what’s she currently doing might have embarrassing consequences for the De Noir she’s currently straddling. And Robin’s friend is clearly too much entertained by his discomfort to help.

However, when Maria fixes her eyes on Jamieson, he’s completely taken aback by the protective gleam in them. “I’ve dealt with more injuries than I can count," he hastily elaborates.

In an instant, her expression changes, “Of course you have,” she exclaims, her tone one of approval. She turns to Robin. “Robin do you _promise_ to stay there and let him look?”

“Yes,” he huffs, “For god’s sake just _get off me would you_ -!”

She does so and Jamieson thinks the young man might groan, but whether in relief or disappointment is best known only to Robin himself. He immediately draws a leg up, but Maria straight away misinterprets this- although it's probably better for everyone concerned that she does.

“You promised you’d stay there!” She exclaims furiously, looking like she’s ready to jump back on top of him.

“Perhaps you could get some fresh water Miss Maria,” Jamieson breaks in before she can. Maria glares at Robin but turns on her heel and stalks away. Will, grinning in supressed mirth, tosses his flask of spirit to Jamieson once again before following her because they’re all aware that she is _absolutely_ capable of getting herself into mischief where ever she goes.

Robin lets out a breath of relief as she disappears. “She’s going to be the death of me,” he groans, leaning his head back against the tree and closing his eyes.

“We’ve all been there,” Jamieson grins. He cuts open the arm of Robin’s shirt with a knife to get to his shoulder and is confronted by a nasty looking wound. “Although," He adds, "Most of the soldiers I stitched up would have much preferred a pretty young woman with soft, _gentle_ hands-

“Don’t,” Robin hisses, eyes snapping open to glare at him. Jamieson smirks.

“Why, don’t you think she's a pretty young woman?” He goads, aiming to keep Robin distracted as he takes a good look at his shoulder, trying to assess if there’s anything caught in in the wound. Luckily there doesn’t seem to be, which is good because the danger isn't from the cut its self, which is relatively shallow, if still messy, but from a secondary infection.

“She’s the bane of my existence,” Robin mutters, running his other hand though his hair, “So please, let’s just hurry up before she gets back and interferes,”

Jamieson raises his eyebrows at these comments, because they're remarkably similar to those he’s heard other men utter about their wives. But he obliges, and as Robin braces himself, he tips the contents of Will’s flask across his injury.

He works quickly after that, stitching up the gash with the kit he carries with him at all times from force of habit. He's just bandaging Robin's shoulder up when Maria and Will reappear. She looks surprised that Jamieson has finished, but has nothing but warm looks and praise for him because of it, which naturally embarrasses him, especially since it's coming from her.

But as for Robin, Maria watches him with sharp eyes and Jamieson suddenly regrets recommending that Robin makes sure he drinks plenty water for the blood loss (in an attempt to take attention off himself), because it’s clear that Maria is then determined to make Robin finish the water skin she's just been to refill. When the ensuing bickering between them only intensifies, Jamieson can't help but think Will might have the right idea when he rolls his eyes and mutters in a low voice that if Maria wasn't a lady, he'd lock them in a cupboard together until they'd _resolved their differences_.

For although Harry Jamieson adores Maria Merryweather (despite the trouble she causes him) and thus can’t help but be jealous of the obvious, if rather backhanded, concern she has for Robin, he’s a sensible, realistic sort of man. She’s always going to be the woman fixed in his mind as the most beautiful and the most vivacious, and his gratitude for the life he now owes to her will keep him devoted to her for the rest of his life. But he’s fully aware that the admiration he has for her is the sort that one looks at the moon with; distant, unobtainable and bright enough to hurt your eyes if you gaze at it for too long.

And more besides, Harry Jamieson may be battle-hardened with nerves of steel, but he doesn’t think he’s brave enough to be the one to take on Maria Merryweather. That appears to be Robin De Noir's forte, and Jamieson can only wish him luck in such a challenging undertaking.

He supposes he’ll get used to it after all.

*

Despite Jamieson's insight into Maria and Robin's stormy relationship and initial convictions about the pair, several weeks pass without anything changing between them. Until, one day, when Maria stalks into the stables at an unusual time. She doesn’t confide it to Jamieson, but he guesses that she's had some sort of argument with Robin. This isn't cause for any concern at first, for as Will had pointed out all those months ago, arguing seems to be a matter of routine for them. But when she starts spending far more time in the stables than she usually does in the days following (time which Jamieson had always assumed was spent in the forest with Robin), he guesses that it must have been something more serious than their usual bickering. 

Maria’s increased time in the stables also seems to be an attempt to hide from another young man, with the forest now apparently not an option. This man is a few years older than Robin, being about the same age as Jamieson, and Jamieson initially assumes the man is just a business associate of Sir Benjamin's. Maria is polite to him because of this, although she makes it clear to Jamieson, in the secure haven of the stables, that she doesn’t like him much. She never usually has much positive to say about anyone who would be deemed by society to potentially be a suitor, but this one seems particularly disagreeable to her. Perhaps it’s his persistent and wilful ignorance towards her hints of indifference, as it had become clear that business with her uncle was not his sole reason for calling so frequently at Moonacre or presenting himself at all the other places she’s likely to be…

Jamieson gets his own first direct encounter with the man one morning when he’s overseeing Maria exercising the same colt that had escaped that morning a few weeks ago. She has him on the long line, is trying to get rid of some of his energy so they can start breaking him in-

"Keep his head up," Jamieson calls, attention fully trained on her and the colt, who is prone to fits of bucking when he's overexcited.

“Isn’t that your job?” A disapproving voice says from behind him. Jamieson turns, seeing the man –Marley he thinks his name might be- standing behind the fence of the paddock. He respectfully touches his cap at the sight of him.

“Yes,” He answers, “But Miss Maria often insists on working with the horses herself,”

"Yes, I’ve heard Miss _Merryweather_ spends a great deal of time around horses," Marley states, eyes fixed on her. With his added emphasis on the word, it occurs to Jamieson that it’s a long time since he's heard her referred to as 'Miss Merryweather'. He’s been spending more time with the De Noirs, who he gets on well with and feels comfortable around because their comradery reminds him a lot of the army. And every one of them calls her _'Moon Princess'_.

"Yes," Jamieson replies in a carefully neutral tone, "She's very fond of horses. And I don't think I’ve ever met a better rider,"

"Indeed," Marley looks pleased by this latter comment, as if he likes the idea that she can be boasted about. Judging from his fashionable and expensive looking appearance, clearly he likes owning the best of everything and Jamieson can’t help but wonder if he'd be as nearly as pleased by the comment if he knew that Maria’s preferred mode of riding was sitting astride her mount rather than side-saddle.

"Of course," Marley adds, "I'll be putting a stop to it when she's my wife. It’s not a habit suitable for married women to be indulging,"

At this, Jamieson's curiosity regarding Marley vanishes, as does any possible respect the man might have earnt from him. He knows Maria has no intention of marrying him, and Marley must know it too, so for him to disregard this as apparently inconsequential proves him to be exactly what Maria has suggested; arrogant and oppressive.

But Marley changes the subject. "How did you get those scars?"

"I was a soldier," Jamieson replies shortly.

"Yes, I thought so," Marley replies, making Jamieson wonder what the point of asking had been, “My younger brother was a soldier. An officer of course,"

"Was he?" Jamieson intones. If his brother was anything like Marley, Jamieson suspects he belonged to the class of officers that flogged their men for not picking their feet up high enough when marching under a blazing foreign sun.

“Yes,” Marley looks irritated that Jamieson isn't engaging with him. No doubt he was hoping the topic would lead to questions on Jamieson's part so he could ask some of his own. But he seems to realise that Jamieson isn’t going to offer him any intelligence however. “You know, I’m surprised Sir Benjamin took you on,”

“Sir Benjamin doesn’t judge by appearance,” Jamieson answers, “You have to prove yourself to him. You won’t get anything from him if you don’t,”

This comment earns him a rather dirty look from Marley, but Jamieson keeps his gaze in front, continuing to watch Maria and the colt. And when he does look around, Marley has gone.

His warning to the man proves to go completely unheeded and Jamieson learns from a giggling maid the following morning that Marley has arrived and requested a private audience with Maria. He knows immediately that this isn’t going to end well so he isn’t surprised to learn later, from the same maid (no longer giggling) that Marley has left, having taken Maria’s refusal so badly that Sir Benjamin himself had been forced to intervene and Mr Marley will apparently never be welcome at Moonacre again after such a display of roaring temper and unrestrained behaviour. Another maid arrives to gossip with the first; she herself had overhead Marley accusing Maria of leading him on and exclaim that he had known all along that she already had preference for someone else-

Jamieson scowls. If the man knew that, then why did he ask her himself to begin with? Titled folk weren’t half stupid sometimes. He gives the maids a sharp word for their gossiping, and they dispersed, no doubt to discuss the matter elsewhere out of his earshot.

Maria herself seeks the solace of the stables in the afternoon. Her eyes are red rimmed, and he lets her be, simply handing her a grooming kit which earns him a grateful smile. He goes back to his work, mending a bridle, and resumes the internal debate he’s having about the best method of justice ( _revenge_ ) owed to Marley for making Maria cry. He’s sure the De Noirs will have some good suggestions and he’s so engrossed in these plots that he doesn’t notice one of them come in.

“If your here to make fun of me-” Maria voice says in a hard voice. Jamieson glances up in surprise, catching a glimpse of a bowler hat and feathers not far from where Maria is grooming her mare, cross-tied, in the aisle. Neither of them can see him, and he can’t get out without drawing attention to himself.

“I’m not,” Robin breaks in quietly, “I’m here to see if you’re okay,”

“Of course I am,” Maria scoffs, but despite her fierce tone, she seems unable to meet his eyes. “Why should you think I’m not?”

“Because I’m not an idiot,”

Maria pauses, finally looking at him over her horse’s withers. “Yes you are,” She holds his gaze for a moment, which is full of meaning and things that have passed between themselves. But then she drops her gaze and returns to combing her horse's mane, “All men are idiots,"

Robin isn’t fooled by this dismissive comment however. “What happened?” He presses.

Maria’s hand tightens on her comb. “He proposed,” She eventually answers, “I refused. Politely. But he had hard time understanding why,” She swipes a few stray tears from her face, clearly frustrated by them, “For heaven’s sake,” she exclaims, “I don’t even know why I’m-”

“Because you can’t stand selfishness and pride,” Robin interrupts again, and this time, his words seem to take some of the fight out of her.

She turns her attention back to her mare’s mane instead of wiping her tears away. “Well I knew from the moment I met him that he had _those_ characteristics in abundance. His heart was overflowing with them, it made me feel sick to be around him-”

It's a strange thing to say but Jamieson’s heard comments like this from her before, and noted her remarkable ability at reading people. He doesn’t have time to ponder it though as she carries on in a vehement tone.

“He explained the _honour_ he was bestowing on me, a girl of my minor rank-” Robin makes an indignant noise at this but she doesn’t seem to hear, “-fortune and eccentricities. That I was unlikely to get such an offer from anyone else. And when I maintained my refusal, among various other accusations, he assumed that my interests must already lie elsewhere. So he made his thoughts on that point clear as well, and demanded I explain myself,”

It’s this latter comment that suddenly makes her distress and anger make perfect sense to Jamieson. Maria had always been ladylike and headstrong, but here at Moonacre she was something else too; eccentricities was one way of putting it, wild, _free_ , was perhaps another. Whatever it was, she was confident and secure of herself and the role she had here, and the opinions of others about herself were unlikely to upset her. Especially not some idiot man who didn't have the smallest understanding of the valley-

But Maria was protective of the people she loved. _Fiercely_ protective. And that was the point; she wouldn’t have been able to bear any sort of insult or abuse of someone she loved, whether they had been named or otherwise.

“I told him that since his behaviour was proving himself to be far less than honourable, I owed him no such explanation,” Maria carries on, turning her eyes defiantly to Robin, “But he could rest assured that my interests did lie elsewhere, with someone ten times the man he was,”

Robin lets out a breath. Jamieson can't see his expression but the tone he speaks in doesn't make it hard to imagine as he shakes his head, “You shouldn’t have said that. It's not true,”

Maria makes an angry noise. “It’s not for _you_ to contradict _me_ Robin De Noir. _I_ _’m_ the one who can see people's hearts, so I think you’ll find you’re whatever _I_ say you are,”

“Maria I’m _not_. There’s a good chance I’m entirely selfish-”

“Yes, but not for the reasons you believe,” She cuts in, glaring at him. He makes a strangled, frustrated noise, sounding, and probably looking, like he’s at his wits end.

“You should be with some proper gentleman!” He exclaims, pulling his hat off and raking a hand through his hair in a way that proved that this was clearly _not_ a new debate between the two of them, as Jamieson had suspected.

“Like the one who just came to call you mean?” Maria demands, “Who gets angry when he doesn’t get his own way? Who threatened to ruin my reputation if I didn’t let him shut me up in some townhouse for the rest of my life? If leaving the valley doesn’t, a life like that would probably kill me!”

“Don’t say that,” Robin's voice is suddenly rough, “ _Don’t_. And they won’t all be like that,”

“I don’t care if they are or not," Maria's own voice is quiet now. She looks resigned, and her eyes are sparkling with tears again, "I won’t have _any_ of them. How could I?”

At these words, whatever resolve Robin has built crumbles. He jams his hat back on his head and ducking under the mare’s neck, he pulls Maria towards himself and kisses her. The comb falls from her hand as she drops it to clutch at his shirt, his jacket, his scarf, anything she can get her hands on in her own desperation to wrap herself into his arms-

Certain that they’re finally too distracted to notice him, Jamieson sneaks soundlessly out of the stables to give them the privacy they deserve. This is a moment he suspects has probably been building between them for years, and even though there’s a lot about Moonacre valley Jamieson doesn’t understand, he’s sure Maria and Robin have always been, and will always be, at the beating heart of it.

*

Although some things change, mostly they don’t.

Maria resumes her wandering of the forest with Robin. Jamieson often also sees her at the De Noir castle whenever he goes there as well, which is fairly frequently since he becomes an envoy of sorts for Sir Benjamin when he finds out how well Jamieson gets on with them. His battle scars are badges of honour to the De Noirs and his hard working attitude and fierce loyalty are akin to their own values, so he’s well respected by them.

There's also a young woman there by the name of Isabella who particularly seems to take a shine to him, and Jamieson’s willing to admit that she is another reason he's been visiting to frequently lately. Bella De Noir is as independently minded as Maria (and as most of the other De Noir women are), but she’s not as highly strung, nor so prone to impulsivity. She shares his practical outlook and her steady character becomes a calming and reassuring presence to Jamieson. He’d never betray Maria’s confidence, whether that be her own words or his own suspicions, but he confides in Isabella his own thoughts and worries. And one thing in particular has been troubling him- Maria’s remark in the stable that leaving the valley would probably kill her.

Bella nods when he voices this to her. “She’s the Moon Princess, she's bound to Moonacre Valley. When she returned from the sea it was because she was sent back as the guardian of the valley. At least, that’s what she believes,”

 _Sent back from the sea_. Jamieson is beginning to accept this, and the story of the Moon Pearls. It seems to make a lot of sense to him now, and he can well imagine Maria trespassing into the Castle looking for the Moon Pearls, escaping and instigating a man hunt on more than once occasion, “And Robin?”

“He helped her,” Bella explains, “He wasn’t tempted by the Pearls and he remained true to her and the Valley. She’s his to protect, just as the Valley is hers,”

It's Jamieson's turn to nod now. He has come to learn that anyone who is truly part of the Moonacre Valley knows two things: first, that Maria Merryweather and Robin De Noir are as different as night and day, and second, that they belong together. The only ones who don’t appear to know this are Maria and Robin themselves...

"Move up lovebirds," A voice interrupts, and Will suddenly drops down onto the bench beside Jamieson, bringing the conversation to an abrupt halt. Jamieson has become firm friends with Will though, and it’s because of him that he was introduced with Bella, his sister.

“I thought you’d gone ages ago Jamieson,” Will remarks, picking up a jug of ale and pouring himself a mug.

“I’m waiting for Maria,” Jamieson answers. After delivering a message to the Coeur De Noir from Sir Benjamin and learning she was here, he’d sat at a table in the great hall to wait for her, hoping that Bella would come and join him, which she had.

“Ah, that explains why Dulac hasn’t been able to find Robin for the past hour,” Will smirks. “He’s on the warpath about it,”

“Dulac’s always on the warpath,” Bella rolls her eyes.

“Well we all know why, don’t we? It doesn’t like he’ll get to marry his sister off to Robin anymore like he's always planned to,” Will takes a gulp of his ale.

“Oh but he hasn’t given up on it,” Bella warns, "Sylvie’s getting more and more desperate to get away from him. She’ll probably marry the first person who asks,”

“Well maybe I’ll ask her then,” Will grins, “I always did like her…”

“Richard would murder you,” Jamieson remarks, taking draught of his own ale and seeing the man in question heading towards them.

“Yes I would,” Richard agrees, dropping down onto the bench beside Bella looking irritable and bad tempered. “Pass me that ale,” He snaps.

“What’s put you in such a foul mood?” Will asks, raising an eyebrow as Jamieson pushes the jug towards him.

“Bloody Dulac," Richard scowls, "He wants all the pistols cleaning, _again_ , and I’ve been stuck with it!”

“Well, shouldn’t you be in the armoury then, trying to win him over?” Bella suggests.

“I can’t get in," Richard grumbles, "Robin and the Moon Princess are too busy arguing in there again,”

“ _Arguing_?" Will repeats looking incredulous, "Oh for god’s sake, what's it about this time?”

“I don’t know," Richard says impatiently, "That’s all they ever do and I learnt to tune them out a long time ago. Why are _you_ so surprised by it?”

“Because I thought, since Jamieson caught them finally snogging in Moonacre stables, they’d be a bit less frustrated all the damned time,” Will turns to Jamieson suspiciously, “You did actually see them didn’t you? You didn’t just _assume_ that that’s where it was heading? Because I’ve lost count of the time I thought they must be about to just –”

“I definitely saw them,” Jamieson interrupts. He’s got quite sick of it really, especially when _he_ wants to take Bella to the stables. He never gets any time alone with her at the De Noir castle and it’s not fair of Robin and Maria to constantly monopolise the place. And, while he’s very happy for the pair of them, his tolerance will only stretch so far. He's not sure if they genuinely never notice him or they regard him as some sort of trustworthy guardian of their secret, but if it’s the latter, he wants to remind them that he's known Maria since she was a little girl, so he’s not really that comfortable, or happy, seeing her with her legs wrapped around Robin as he presses her against the hayloft wall-

Jamieson takes a long gulp from his tankard. Will groans again and Richard rolls his eyes.

The pair in question both appear a moment later and pausing at the doors, Maria glances around the great hall before spotting the group.

"Jamieson, I'm going home," Maria announces when she reaches them.

Jamieson doesn’t get the chance to reply to this, however, as taking in her obviously angry and frustrated countenance, Will immediately rounds on Robin. “What have you done?”

“I haven’t done anything!” Robin retorts with a glare, looking just as wound up as Maria and irritated all the more by this accusation.

At his reply, Maria makes an impatient noise and flashes Robin a contemptuous look. “Yes, and that’s exactly the point isn’t it?” She quips at him.

While Jamieson thinks he knows exactly where this is going and doesn't particularly want to hear anymore, Will, apparently, does. "What’s going on?" He demands, looking between them.

Maria looks expectantly at Robin but when he doesn’t reply, she turns to Will herself. "What’s going on," she says haughtily, “Is Robin is being a stubborn, _uptight_ , old woman-"

"I am not risking _my_ neck, given how likely you uncle is to set Wrolf on me, because _you_ _’re_ so impatient,” Robin growls, “You’re a lady for god’s sake, not some tavern wench!"

“If it’s that much of an issue, hurry up and ask me to marry you then!” Maria retorts angrily. Once again, the pair of them seem to forget where they are and that they’re not alone, and Jamieson take a long swig of his ale, wishing he couldn’t hear this conversation.

“I’ve told you, it’s not as simple as that-” Robin says through gritted teeth.

“Yes it is," Maria cuts in curtly, "But given you can’t make up your mind on the matter, perhaps that makes things clear enough,” Giving Robin one last angry look, she turns and sweeps away from the hall.

Bella casts Robin her own irritated look before jumping to her feet and following after Maria. As good as friends Maria and Bella are though, Jamieson doubts that she’ll be able to do much. Resigning himself to another week of Maria and Robin not speaking and simultaneously becoming increasing more restless because they can't bear do without the other, Jamieson sets down his tankard and he readies himself leave.

“No, sit back down Jamieson,” Will orders, just as he’s got to him feet to find Maria and take her home. “Do you know how tired we all are of you the princess’ game of cat and mouse?” Will demands turning to glare at Robin, “Do you have any idea how much we all wish you’d _hurry up_ and _just_ -”

Jamieson clears his throat pointedly and Will flicks him an annoyed look.

“It’s none of your damned business,” Robin growls, glaring at Will.

“Yes, actually, it _is_ , since _I’m_ one of the poor sods going to have to put up with you turning into a bitter old bastard over this," Will says cooly back to him, "So I’m going to simplify it all down for you. _You_ love Maria. _She_ loves you. You think it would be wrong for you to marry her for whatever noble reasons you’ve talked yourself into. But all that aside, you know Maria best, so tell me this: since she _does_ love you, is she, or is she not, stubborn enough to remain alone for the rest of her life just to prove that?” Will leans forward in his seat, “And are you _ever_ going to be happy with anyone else while Maria Merryweather walks the earth? Because you will have to take someone Robin, your father will see to that," Will gives Robin a long, hard look, "Now putting the answers to those two questions together _, get over yourself_ and either marry her or stop holding out on her, _no one cares what order_. Just stop messing her about before she puts another curse on us all!"

There’s silence for a few moments after this speech. Apart from the part about no-one caring about the order of things, Jamieson thinks Will has summed thing up exactly right. Robin, on the other hand, stares at Will as if he's going to argue.

But then he abruptly stands up, downs the contents of his tankard, and strides away out of the hall.

“Well,” Richard states as the doors slam shut behind him, “He’s either gone to kidnap her, or to break thing off for good,"

“It better not be the latter,” Jamison mutters darkly, “Lady Merryweather asked me to shoot the next man that makes her cry,"

"And would you?” Will asks curiously, looking around at him.

"Of course. And I suggested we feed their body to Wrolf afterwards,”

Richard snorts at this, but they are all distracted as Bella re-enters the hall with some urgency and heads quickly over to them.

“Jamieson, Robin and Maria are asking for you,” She informs him.

“For me?” Jamieson frowns, "Why?"

“Something about wanting De Noir and a Merryweather representatives as witnesses-”

Will chokes on his ale. “ _Witnesses_?” He splutters, looking first at Bella and then to Jamieson, “You mean they’re-”

“I was right them. He's quite literally took you at your word,” Richard sniggers.

Will shakes his head as if Richard is missing a far more important point. “If Jamieson’s the Merryweather representative, who’s the De Noir one?”

“I think David was in the courtyard-” Bella starts, but once again Will interrupts her before she can finish.

 _“David_?” Will demands, outraged, “ _I_ give Robin the speech that gets his arse into gear and _that_ bastard gets to be his witness? Over my dead body!” Slamming his mug down and shooting to his feet, he storms out of the hall.

“Is he actually going to stop the whole thing after talking them into it?” Jamieson asks incredulously, staring after him.

“I’ll bloody kill him if he does,” Richard mutters, pulling Will’s unfinished tankard of ale over towards himself.

“I don't think the sun or moon would stop them judging from Robin's expression,” Bella comments dryly before turning to Jamieson, “You’d better hurry up. They didn’t look as if they’d wait for very long. At least, Maria didn’t,”

“No, well she’s probably worried Robin will change his mind again,” Richard points out, watching Jamieson get to his feet, “Damned idiot. He should have done it years ago. It would have made life easier for all of us,"

“Yes, he should’ve,” Bella agrees, “But I doubt it will change life much. And Jamieson?" Jamieson pauses to meet her brown eyes which are suddenly narrowed at him, "I won't wait as long, so I better be next,"

With a grin, he touches his cap in promise to her. Hurrying from the hall to catch up with Robin and Maria before they undoubtedly really do leave without him, he thinks Bella is right. Nothing will change because life at Moonacre is never going to be normal. Especially where Maria and Robin are involved.

But, he considers, he’s used to it.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really happy I finally posted this, as I started it way back in March 2019! It came together pretty quickly, was a lot of fun to write and was actually written in order. The last part of it has sat unfinished for a long time. But as ever, it got sorted when I got stuck on something else! And speaking of Heatwave, I promise I haven't given up on the final chapter, most of it is written its just last part again...why is it always the last bit I struggle with?! But as this has proved, I just need a break and to work on something else so I can come back refreshed. 
> 
> But anyway, I hope this has been an enjoyable read! I'm not sure why I wrote it in present tense, other than I wanted to practise I suppose as my default is always past tense. Constructive criticism to this end would be very welcome. And of course, your thoughts in gerneral! How did you find the OC? Was the different perspective interesting to read? The idea of Maria being sent back from the sea is something I really like and a running theme I use a lot. The name Will for Robin friend has been used in this oneshot because I started this so long ago, before I realised Robin's friends were actually named in the film. So he should be Henry really, but I just never changed it since I'd already written most of it...
> 
> Finally, I want to thank you all so much for your continued support of my Moonacre stories! They do all run on a variation of the same theme, but I could read hundred of stories about Robin and Maria falling in love! I only wish there were hundreds, and that's why I think I keep writing these onseshots! I can't say how massively much I appreciate all the hits and kudos and bookmarks. New comment especially are so exciting for me!! So thank you for reading, I really hope you enjoyed this one and until next time, keep safe and take care!


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